Educational Consulting Services

My name is Tom Weddle, and I received my educational certificates and masters in special education from Northridge University in California. I have worked with and taught children and adults with autism for the past 29 years in a variety of settings. I have created and supervised adult programs, assessed and taught children with neurological disabilities in demonstration-site classrooms for the State Department of Education in California, taught in special and general education classrooms, created home behavior therapy and management programs for young children with autism, and am in the process of rearing twin 16 year-old daughters, who are on the spectrum. For the last fifteen years, I have worked as a consultant for numerous school districts throughout Washington and Idaho, assessing children, training staff and helping to create appropriate curriculum and positive behavior support plans for children with autism. I am an advocate of non-aversive teaching and behavioral approaches with an emphasis on social, coping, self-regulatory, and communicative skill development.

My specialties are assessment of developmental skills, functional analysis of inappropriate behavior, teaching of social coping strategies and communicative skills, parent/staff training, anxiety issues, panic attacks, phobias, and encopresis. I have had consistent and dramatic success working with children and adults with a variety of significant behavior and developmental issues, while utilizing an approach that I call Behavior Coaching. (See linked page below describing this approach).

I utilize a comprehensive assessment across skill domains and prescribe the use of specific strategies applied to specific skill deficits. For behavior problems, I conduct an ecologically based behavior assessment and correlate the results with skill, tolerance and developmental deficits to create a practical and effective teaching and management plan with realistic and functional outcomes. I am sensitive to the needs of providers, parents and educators, and I tailor my recommendations to fit the resources and settings whenever possible.

I have been published in several special education texts on communication and behavior and recently published a book, BIG A...little a: Building Worlds for Children with ASD. Please visit my linked web-pages for further information!

Also, please check out "My Friends' Pages" to learn more about the interests and thoughts of a select few of my friends. And visit "Website Wisdom" for some uniquely useful information.

E-mail Tom Weddle at tomweddle@mac.com or call (509) 993-8070 for further information.

Please go to my Q&A Blog to read stories, presentation information and info regarding behavior interventions and Washington State policies. 


December 1 - When Pepperoni Just Won't Doo

For the past 2 years, I have been learning about encopresis, both the retentive and non-retentive forms. The first involves constipation, and I am working with 2 children on programs to correct this problem. The latter involves resistance...both learned and inherent resistance to an aversive process (toileting) that is neither tolerated nor understood. (To read more click on link above)


December 7 - Pepperoni Just Won't Doo - Part 2

Lucas hated being told to stop what he was doing. Lucas also hated going to the bathroom. But Lucas really hated being told to stop what he was doing, in order to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, Lucas was not toilet trained and, as a result, was often asked to stop something fun and go to the bathroom. 

Tom's Calendar

Tom's Q&A Blog

Parenting Tips

What Is Behavior Coaching?

Curriculum & Assessment Considerations

Weddle's Website Wisdom

BIG A...little a

Friends' Pages

Downloads


Resume



Education and Credentials

Masters Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in working with children with problem behaviors and severe disabilities from California State University at Northridge.
 
Teaching credentials in Severe Handicap, Learning Handicap and Multiple Subjects from California State University at Northridge.


Work Experience

Educational Consulting Services
Autism and Behavior Consultant
1994-2009

Currently providing private practice consultation, training and assessment services to agencies and school districts in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.
 
Currently providing behavior coaching assessment and therapy to children with developmental disabilities through the Washington State Department of Developmental Disabilities.


Spokane Public Schools
Behavior Specialist
1994-2009

Currently serving the behavioral and educational programming needs of middle and high school students with autism.
 
Worked as program developer for Shaw Middle School ABLE program serving the needs of middle school children with autism and severe behavioral needs.
 
Worked as program developer for Bryant Elementary School ABLE program serving the needs of preschool and elementary aged children with autism and severe behavioral needs.


Spokane Public Schools
Classroom Teacher
1992-1994

Taught children with multiple disabilities, grades K-3.
 
Participated in a 2 year grant through the Washington State University for bettering inclusion practices for children in special education classrooms.


Diagnostic Center, Los Angeles, CA
California State Department of Education
Assessment Specialist
1988-1992

Implemented trans-disciplinary assessment information on children with severe behavior and developmental delays within a classroom setting serving as a demonstration site model for school district personnel throughout Southern California.
 
Provided trans-disciplinary assessments utilizing standardized and criterion-referenced tools for children (K-12) with a variety of learning, emotional and neurologically based disabilities.


Camarillo State Hospital, Camarillo CA
Developmental Center
Teacher
1980-1988

Developed and implemented vocational and community programming for adults with autism and severe behavior issues.
 
Supervised and trained a staff of 10 instructional assistants working with 30 clients within a variety of community, work and living settings.


Publications

Authored BIG A...little a: Building Worlds for Children and Adults with ASD. Self-published in 2004.
 
Contributed case study to book titled Families and Positive Behavior Support: Addressing the Challenge of Problem Behaviors in Family Context written and edited by Joe Lucyshyn, Glen Dunlap and Rick Albin, published through Brookes Publishing Co., 2002
 
Contributed two chapters to book titled Augmenting Basic Communication in Natural Contexts, written and edited by Diane Baumgart, Jeanne Johnson and Ed Helmstetter, published through Brookes Publishing Co. 1996.
 
Served as co-writer and task force member on book titled Positive Interventions for Serious Behavioral Problems, published by Resources in Special Education (RISE), California, 1994.



Additional Work Related Information

Present frequently on autism, communication, and behavior change to various groups and organizations both locally and nationally.
 
Winner of the 2003 Serena Merck Fund Memorial Award for “Innovation and Dedication in Practice.”
 
Served as interim Program Director for the Domino Autism Preschool Project located at Eastern Washington University